Human Rights Watch seeks Nominations under the Hellman/Hammett Grant Program

Human Rights Watch is currently seeking nominations for the Hellman/Hammett grant program aimed at supporting writers all around the world who have been victims of political persecution and are in financial need.

The grants, named after the late American playwright Lillian Hellman and novelist Dashiell Hammett, typically range from $1,000 to a maximum of $10,000. Forty-eight writers from 24 countries received Hellman/Hammett grants in 2011 in recognition of their commitment to free expression and the courage they showed when facing political persecution.

Besides providing much needed financial assistance, the Hellman/Hammett grants focus attention on repression of free speech and censorship by publicizing the persecution that the grant recipients endured. In some cases the publicity is a protection against further abuse. In other cases, the writers request anonymity because of the dangerous circumstances in which they and their families are living.

The writers eligible for this grant are the ones, who are targeted for expressing views that their governments oppose, for criticizing government officials or actions, or for writing about subjects that their governments do not want reported.

Over the past 22 years, more than 700 writers from 92 countries have received Hellman/Hammett grants of up to US$10,000 each, totaling more than $3 million.

The program also gives small emergency grants to writers who have an urgent need to leave their country or who need immediate medical treatment after serving prison terms or enduring torture.

Subscribe to our mailing list

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Comments

Dera sir/madam
am kaboye ronald from Uganda,under the organisation of youth demonstration front page union,kalilro district
people in the eastern region of uganda are agriculturalists and typically peasants who can not a ford to use facilities say tractors to at least cultivate a big portion such that the have some good harvest to cater for their families financially and economically,they use local tools say hand hoes which are not even enough for the families of around 10 people
we really need help from you such that we try to combat such problems
another thing is that in the eastern region of uganda,we are the infirior just because this isthe place which did not vote for the president so the concerned stake holders from the government are almost not minding at all.we pray hard that you may help us who are trying to sensitise the community especially the youth about what we can really do not to remain behind or rather to be hard workers than they now call us fuckin lazy people from the eastern but because of political affiliations or political intrigue.
As the management of the youth demonstration front page union we have the vission of not only working from the eastern region but also the whole uganda as a country and out side uganda.
we have our bugdet we made that we think if all goes on well we shall reach success and kits our destine.
when we registered this ngo,many people where much concerned and interested impplying they were waiting for such organisations to be in place such that the segregated people are also seen some where prospering in one way or the other.
we still need suport for that facilitation especially in the demonstration to the youth and the elders who are left home such that they plan for the future generation.
we shall be very happy to seeing that you have given us an upper hand,
we strive to succeed
we fight for the future generation
i remain
RONALD KABOYE
FROM KALIRO,BUSOGAREGION IN THE EASTERN UGANDA EAST AFRICA

Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Anna Moinan Shinini
I am writing to you from Nasaru Maasai children’s center, Arusha, Tanzania, charity number *80387*. We are in the beginning stages of setting up a center allowing children living in rural Maasai villages to obtain an education.
Maasai people are pastoralists that live in remote areas and subsist completely off of the land. Until now, the possibility of education was nearly impossible because of the isolation of the villages and the viewed unimportance of education for the children. Also, Maasai people do not live in a cash economy, so paying school fees and transportation costs is impossible for most. In the Maasai community girls are expected to marry and start having children from the age of 13, and boys are expected to tend to the land. Body mutilation is predominant amongst the Maasai community, such as the removal of teeth, branding of cheeks, slashing of ears and most worryingly, female circumcision. We hope that gaining an education will allow the children to avoid these arranged life decisions. We hope to allow the children a prosperous life and the ability to bring knowledge back to their villages to inspire positive change.
I am the director of Nasaru Maasai Children’s Center and from Maasai Community; I am the one of 91 children in my family and the only one able to gain an education within my family. This was made possible through the help of missionaries that went to live at my village. Because of the strong influence these missionaries had on me and my people, I followed my education with work in a children’s center for 11 years. Today I’m dedicated to providing the same opportunities that I got lucky enough to be given. I strongly believe that all Maasai children should be given the opportunity to open up their minds and gain knowledge and options through education.
Currently there are 5 Maasai girls, aged 6 and 7, living in my family home and beginning to gain an education through volunteers; however this is only a temporary setup. The centre has a dream of bringing many children into the city, familiarizing them with the culture, and preparing them for primary education by pre-school lessons in Kiswahili and English. The children can only speak MAA (Maasai Language), which makes entering into primary school a difficult task from the onset. We also plan on obtaining funding for them to receive an education at primary schools in Arusha, whilst providing them with a safe place to live. Even when times are tough they find refuge in the Lord.
We are, at present, raising awareness of the project within the volunteering community in Arusha. However, to ensure our dream becomes a reality we are ideally looking for long term support to help us in financial set up and running of the project.
We would love if you would be interested in helping us, or would like more information on our detailed long term plan we would be very grateful.
Thank you for your time,
Nasaru Maasai Children’s Centre